Michael l



f NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

, MICHAEL L. HEALY, CE REPUBLIC, MICHIGAN, AssIeNoE TO HIMSELF, CARL A. w. WEINBERG, CYRUS M. BABOOOK, AND GUSTAF BEEesrRoM, ALL

OF SAME PLACE.

COMPOUND FOR TEEVIPERING AND HARDENING IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,423, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed April 9, 1883. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL L. HEALY, of the township of Republic, in Marquette county, Michigan, have invented and discovered a new and useful Compound for Tempering and Hardening Iron, which invention is set forth in the following specification, to wit:

To make my compound, take of boraX, one pound. Tothis add carbonate of iron, onequarter of an ounce. Melt the above in a crucible or other similar suitable vessel by heat, as usually applied by forge or furnace, by simply putting the crucible or vessel containing the said components (borax and carbonate of I 5 iron) over the fire, remaining thereon until both components are well melted. Then, when all is melted well, as above described, add to the melted mass yet in the crucible on the fire thirty pounds of ordinary cast -iron broken into fragments to promote fusing. (The castiron above named should be such iron as has not been burned or used in stoves or furnaces.) Let the entire mass remain on the fire in the crucible, and still apply heat in the same man- 2 5 ner as above described until the whole three components are well fused. Now pour off into any sort of mold that will not chill the mixture, and cool.

The above describes the manufacture of the compound, which is one of the necessary steps in my mode of procedure to harden, toughen, and solder iron. The next step is: Take a bar of wrought-iron one-half inch in thickness and three feet in length. Let said bar be either 5 hot or cold-it makes no difference, only it mustbe ordinarily cleanand put one end into a fire. Any ordinary fire will do. WVhen it v is a little red with heat, apply a few particles of borax by simply dropping them on the iron while still in the fire, or else withdraw the iron for amoment to apply it; and at the same time place upon the said bar of iron, while hot, as last aforesaid, a piece or two of the compound, as above described, the size of a hickory- 4 5 nut, and let the bar remain in the fire until the pieces of compound so placed on it melt and flow freely over the iron bar, or over that part of it that is in the fire. The compound will melt and flow freely before the iron will be fused; and the iron now must be withdrawn from the fire about the time it takes the white heat, as is usually understood by blacksmiths, and at once plunged into cold-water or other tempering baths. When cold, it will be found that that portion of the bar of iron that the compound melted and flowed over is as hard as tempered steel, and tougher.

If an edge-tool of'iron is wanted, the bar of iron above treated may be used to make one. Supposing the operator to be in a shop where he has forge, hammer, and anvil, place the above iron bar in the forge-fire, with the same end in the fire that the compound was melted on, and give it a very low white heat. Now I hammer into shape desired, and, as it will now have become a little cool, again heat until white-hot, and plunge immediately into cold water, as before stated, and you have made a tool from a bar of common wrought-iron as hard and tougher than steel.

In order to solder with this compound, put the two pieces of iron to be soldered together in proper p ositi on, and, first putting 011 the same a little borax, put a small piece'of the compound at the junction of the two pieces to be soldered; andapply heat in the usual way. It will be found that the piece of compound will melt and flow, and thus solder the two pieces of iron at a much lower degree of heat than is necessary in the ordinary way of weld- 8o erator to shape his toe-call; to have the job 0 I completed. It will also be found that that portion of the calk or shoe that is covered by the compound is as hard as steel.

It may be borne in mind that the quantities of the component parts of the compound as 5 given above-viz., borax, one pound; carbonate of iron, one-quarter ounce; cast-iron, thirty poundsare not positively necessary, nor the The term solder used in this specification could be as well called weld, as it is intended to mean the same thing.

I claim as my invention- A compound consisting of borax, carbonate of iron, and east-iron, as described, to harden Wrought-iron as hard as steel when tempered, as set forth. I

M. L. HEALY.

Vitnesses:

CYRUS M. Biiizcomc, E. S. ROWLAND. 

